Mosul streets near anarchy

April 17, 2003

Iraq's largest northern city teetered on the brink of violent anarchy Wednesday after a second straight day of deadly clashes between American troops and Iraqi civilians in Mosul killed three people and wounded 11. American helicopters prowled the skies over Mosul, swooping low over neighborhoods and roadways in an attempt to show that U.S. forces controlled the city. But on the ground, American patrols were rare and much of Mosul was a dangerous no-man's land.

BATTLE BUDGET: The Pentagon's top budget officer said the war has cost at least $20 billion and probably will consume at least that much in the next five months. Bush also signed a bill that provides $79 billion for additional war costs and domestic anti-terror efforts.

WEAPONS IN TIKRIT: American troops have uncovered massive weapons caches in Saddam Hussein's tribal hometown of Tikrit in recent days, a discovery that bolsters the theory that the deposed president may have planned his last stand there. U.S. troops patrolling through the town cemetery on Tuesday stumbled across bunkers and trenches that held ammunition, rocket-propelled grenades and surface-to-air missiles.

U.S. WON'T LET ABBAS GO: U.S. officials flatly rejected Palestinian demands for the release of captured guerrilla leader Mohammed Abbas, saying Wednesday the only question was whether he should serve a life sentence in Italy or face new charges in the United States for masterminding the 1985 Achille Lauro hijacking.